Discussing abortion’s importance as a pro-life issue

Often we hear people say, “I’m against abortion,” but in the same breath adding that there are a lot of other life issues that are equally as important.

I have a friend who has been working at a food pantry for a long time. I asked him if anyone had ever said to him, I’m for feeding the hungry, but there are a lot of other life issues that are as equally important. He said no. I suspect that I might get the same answer from a person working for fair immigration laws or housing for the homeless.

The question on my mind is why do some people add, “There are a lot of other life issues equally as important” only when discussing anti-abortion matters? Do they mean there is too much being done keeping the abortion issue in the forefront? Do they mean that some of the anti-abortion people should switch their support to another pro-life issue? Are they resolved to “that’s the way things are” and want to move on to another issue? Maybe they are uncomfortable and think they will be viewed as making waves since recent surveys indicate that almost half of the respondents think abortion is OK.

My concern is that if people continue to say that anti-abortion work is not the only life issue, pro-choice people and those who are not sure where they stand might think that anti-abortion people are divided on the subject or just want to keep it low-key.

God calls many workers to where the need is great. So when we encounter one of the many who work to end abortion, wouldn’t it be better for us to just say, “I’m against abortion also.”

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